By Kevin Kiley – January 29, 2024
The iconic San Francisco store that inspired Toy Story is closing after 86 years. Jeffrey’s Toys cited “the perils and violence of the downtown environment.” It’s another casualty of California’s out-of-control crime problem.
But there is good news. An initiative to reverse Prop. 47 has gathered 200,000 signatures and is on pace to qualify for the November ballot. You can get information on how to sign the petition here and see my Floor Speech about the collapse of San Francisco here.
In the meantime, counties in my district are taking matters into their own hands, forming a novel Retail Theft Initiative to counteract reckless state policies. Businesses can get a “Protected by Placer County’s Retail Theft Initiative” window sign from my office or the DA’s Office.
It’s a perfect example of our strategy for restoring sanity in California: a “pincer movement” where pressure is exerted from multiple sides. We expose Newsom nationally – stopping his failures from metastasizing – while building anti-Newsom alternatives locally.
- During COVID, for instance, our Healthy Communities Resolution was adopted by 12 counties that rejected Newsom’s lockdowns. We then sponsored legislation to end the national emergency in Congress; shortly thereafter, Newsom finally ended California’s.
- We endorsed hundreds of pro-parent school board candidates, who are now serving students and parents in districts across the state. Then, we passed the Parents Bill of Rights in the House.
- We are debunking Newsom’s absurd claims about California’s economy – including a truly remarkable piece of propaganda this weekend – while supporting local efforts to attract jobs and new businesses.
And our movement to stop the nationalization of AB 5 is gaining momentum. Today, both the National Review and RealClearPolitics featured our efforts to a national audience. The Legislature is also now considering a new effort to repeal the law in California.
Both lines of attack – upward local pressure, and downward national pressure – are key to upending our state’s wayward politics. That means all of us have an important role in the fight for California’s future.
Kevin Kiley is a California Congressman
NOTE BY EDITOR: Proposition 47 (Prop 47) was a ballot measure passed by California voters on November 5, 2014. The law made some non-violent property crimes, where the value does not exceed $950, into misdemeanors. It also made some simple drug possession offenses into misdemeanors.
